Over on Oljarhead's thread for his cabin we discussed woodstoves for small houses. It seems that the Joutul 602 and the Vermont Castings Aspen are two popular ones. I started searching to see if there were other stoves out there and found some from Northern Tool. These do not appear to be the same quality as the Jotul or Aspen.
Please feel free to post links, pictures, etc when you find currently manufactured wood stove's that fits this criteria.
The "Rancher" cookstove heats up to 1,000 sq feet
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200307953_200307953
Boxwood Stove heats up to 800 sq feet
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_796_796
Cast Iron Pot Belly Stove heats up to 1,000 sq feet
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_2053_2053
"LitL Sweetie" Boxwood Stove heats up to 600 sq feet
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200394664_200394664
After buying my Aspen I found those little stoves....and after the shock of the price (come on really?) and searching Amazon only to find them EVEN CHEAPER I tried to remind myself of this:
In the state of Washington those stoves aren't 'approved' for use.
Now, the libertarian in me says "who gives a crap?" but the law abiding citizen in me says "no thanks, not dealing with the fine!"....
However, a tour of other cabins in my area taught me that NO ONE, virtually NO ONE, has bothered to give a rats behind about code.
On the other hand, the Aspen is low on particulates and it is my suspicion that it's safer to run.
Having said all that, I'd like to buy one of those stoves (the $159 one on Amazon) and try it out to see just how good/bad it is and maybe hang on to it incase I have a need for an 'un-authorized' stove in a shed/cabin/shack/workshop in the future ;)
Ok, this one says for "up to" 1500 sq. ft. I have one in my 208 sq. ft. man-shed-roof trailer. I keep a window cracked. It is a very fine stove and it works great. ($$$ though d*)
http://www.pacificenergy.net/product_vista.php
Dad and me went to Menards today to "look at stuff". Yes we managed to buy a few little things :) While going down one of the aisles we saw that they have the Boxwood in stock for a little under $250.
The quality appeared to be decent/usable. Two things I noticed was the stove is not insulated on the sides or bottom, and the openings around the door, air inlet and stove pipe look like they would not seal as good as one would expect on a Aspen, Jotul, Pacific Energy, etc. But for the price and right application I think they would be quite serviceable. However I don't think I would want one as a primary heat source. One installed on a porch, breakfast nook, bunkhouse, man shed, hunting cabin would be handy IMO :) Especially the rancher.
Bill Houghton, I helped install a Pacific Energy stove once....that one appeared to be a "top shelf" item.
Erik, maybe you could design a small bunkhouse around the Rancher stove. That would be [cool] for hunting season ??? Or maybe use it like Mtn Don used his Chiminea in a gazebo? I might have to install it in my future porch or mudroom. If nothing more it could just sit there.....that stove just shouts RUSTIC. Yeah I might be obsessed [noidea'....
Shawn
I have a Pacific Enenrgy Alderlea in my primary residence. It is a fantastic stove. I also have an Avalon Rainier in my Victoria's Cottage which I had used in my primary residence for 8 years. Also a fantastic stove. These things are pricey but a solid investment. If you're going to try to heat 1000 sq ft, justget the largest one you can afford. Forget the mfgs' ratings they are worthless in my opinion. Really only two things matter. Get the largest firebox and the heaviest one you can afford. Weight is very important.
My concern for buying a non proven stove, would be that if the castings weren't quality controlled, they just might crack under the heat resulting in a bad fire.
Bruce
Firefox, I believe they are quality controlled, there just built with old techniques and low cost in mind. As with any cast iron over heating then sudden cooling, or over heating and drastic impacts can be damaging. I don't think I would want to run one full time every winter day in, day out. Not so much because of safety, but using too much wood and; by judging the doors I don't think they will seal the smoke the best.
what do you guys thing of the Sedorea Stove?
http://sedorestovewest.com/ (I hope I did that right)
I have my hart set on one of those babys
Another thing to consider: A high-tech, so-called "airtight" woodstove is a lot less maintenance. The secondary combustion in these well designed stoves burn off a lot of the creosote which would normally go up the stove pipe. As a result, a lot less chimney sweeping. I installed a new Dura-Plus triple wall chimney at the same time I bought the Avalon Rainer. I burn about 4 cords a year (and a lot of sappy soft wood too) and I have not had to sweep it yet after 10 years of use! There is less than a 1/16" buildup. We had one of those 70s thermostatically controlled woodstoves (ashley?) in my parents house. That thing was terrible! The "thermostat" would choke the stove down to a smolder and load the chimney with creosote (which did result in a chimmey fire). This is also how the modern, high-tech stoves increase efficiency. You burn the creosote and get heat from it rather than sending it up the chimney.
Also, any manufacturer who says "you can burn anything in this" or "you don't need to split your wood" or "burns green wood" should be approached with great caution. These are bad (and in my opinion irresponsible) burning techniques. The mfgers of outdoor wood boilers deserve a lot of the regulation they now face because many of them actually promoted these techniques (and resulted in dirty, smokey burns and POed neighbors).
I've been looking at wall tent stoves. The "Four Dogs" brand seems to be the best for the money
http://www.walltentshop.com/FourDogStoves.html
These marine woodstoves are really cool if you just need to heat a small space.
http://www.marinestove.com/halibutinfo.htm
Jeff, Those marine stoves are way [cool]
Yeah the outdoor boilers can get real smokey >:(
Check these out quite spendy but the thermal mass, plus the oven and cooking options is quite attractive.
http://www.vermontwoodstove.com/bunbaker_specifications.htm
Very nice! [cool]
These are nice too, if pricey:
http://www.shipmatestove.com/Results.cfm?category=6 (http://www.shipmatestove.com/Results.cfm?category=6)
I have an original Shipmate that came out of a customer's boat. They wanted a gas stove, and this was minutes away from being hauled to the dump:
(https://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/davestreck/DSC01806.jpg)
I'm debating if I should put it in my cabin or save it for a boat project. I'm not really looking for a cook stove, and the firebox is pretty small. Plus, I burn softwood almost exclusively (mostly spruce) and I'm not sure this stove, which is primarily designed to burn coal, would do well in that situation. Any ideas?
There is a Vermont Casting Aspen for sale on Craigslist here in the Seattle area tonight.
Vermont Castings, Aspen model 1920 woodstove small green - $500 (Gig Harbor)
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Date: 2010-07-26, 12:47AM PDT
Reply to: sale-jpqvs-1863374019@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
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Small green woodstove (almost new)
in storage, used only one year
cast iron, painted glossy forest green
Vermont Castings, Aspen model 1920
Paid $1,000, asking $500 firm
Just for the stove, no stove pipe etc.
Gig Harbor, Rick: 253-858-2280 9:00am – 9:00pm
Location: Gig Harbor
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 1863374019
Dave, I bet that stove will clean up real nice! One of these stoves would be really cool in an RV for some winter camping, or even in an ice shanty.
Quote from: Hi Road on July 27, 2010, 08:17:44 PM
There is a Vermont Casting Aspen for sale on Craigslist here in the Seattle area tonight.
Vermont Castings, Aspen model 1920 woodstove small green - $500 (Gig Harbor)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2010-07-26, 12:47AM PDT
Reply to: sale-jpqvs-1863374019@craigslist.org [Errors when replying to ads?]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small green woodstove (almost new)
in storage, used only one year
cast iron, painted glossy forest green
Vermont Castings, Aspen model 1920
Paid $1,000, asking $500 firm
Just for the stove, no stove pipe etc.
Gig Harbor, Rick: 253-858-2280 9:00am – 9:00pm
Location: Gig Harbor
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
PostingID: 1863374019
Pretty decent price! New when I bought was $880 and taxes put it over $1k -- so $500 is a steal....assuming you want a state approved stove.
I have used this box stove as main heat for 4 years now. picked it up on Craigslist for $35. [cool] You can see, I got her a little hot one cold night. :-[ no harm, no foul
(https://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af36/zion-dyi/Als%20race%20cars/house%20pics/sept09022.jpg)
Reading this thread prompted me to finally pull that old Shipmate out of the garage and fix it up. I decided to give it a try in the cabin, even though its a wood/coal cookstove and I burn softwoods in Nova Scotia. I think I'll burn dry spruce and whatever hardwood scraps I happen to have around, and keep a supply of coal at the cabin to add for extra heat.
I disassembled the stove (except the main castings and the firebrick), media blasted everything that would fit in the blast cabinet, and took a wire brush and a die-grinder to everything else. I used an air gun and a shop vac to thoroughly clean it out, and wiped it down with mineral spirits. Then I applied traditional stove polish and buffed it out with an old towel. I also replaced the old rusty hinge pins with silicon bronze round-head bolts. All that took about 4 hours or so. Next step is to fill all the joints with stove cement, and then fire it up to set the cement and the polish. Maybe then I'll try making biscuits. I won't have time to install it in the cabin this year, but figured I might as well have it ready for 2011.
Overall dimensions are 19" high, 22" wide, 16" deep":
(https://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/davestreck/0e8be9ec.jpg)
Firebox and oven. The rod sticking out the left side is the grate shaker:
(https://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/davestreck/5aa754c6.jpg)
Next I want to design a cabinet/platform for it to sit on, possibly with wood or coal storage underneath. It would be nice to get the cooking surface up to the level of a standard countertop. Any ideas?
Nice work!
I'd love to have an old and small cook stove. THe local shop has a Jotul but wants $900 for it....sheesh!
That is a beautiful job you did on that one! [cool]
My brother gave me a stove to put in my house.
He said he was not going to use it, it came with the house.
It is a nice model, and only like 10 years old.
The dimensions are roughly 18" deep X 24" X 32" on 8" legs.
It is nice and has a nice flat top surface for using as a warmer at least.
For a hearth I am going to brace the floor at the corner of the kitchen/dining room to bear the weight of the hearth.
After that I plan on using a cinder block base (with the holes oriented together) and cover that with brick.
For the wall I am going to use brick with a gap behind it and cap off the sides and top, with vents at the bottom and top for airflow of course.
I plan to cover the open spaces with some sort of mesh/ screen, but that is TBD.
Your lucky Ol Jarhead my wife is looking at
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Cook_Stoves___Wood_Burning_Cook_Stoves___The_Waterford_Stanley_Wood_Cookstove___17120000?Args=
Well .... it will go in our house we build up a the ranch when we retire. That still a couple years out if it gets done at all. Right now I have plans at the engineer for about 1000 sq ft builders - guest home and thinking about a:
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Cook_Stoves___Wood_Burning_Cook_Stoves___Baker_s_Oven_Wood_Heat_Cook_Stove___17120600?Args=
for it. Has anyone seen or been around one? We are on grid up there. However thinking it would be very handy to have a wood cook stove just in case. Also why not use the stove for cooking in the winter. After all we will have it fired up anyway.
This guy is just down the road from me:
http://stovehospital.com/ (http://stovehospital.com/)
Never been to his shop, but it looks like he's got quite a selection. I'd love one of those 1920's gas ranges.
Also check out:
://www.goodtimestove.com/ (//http://://www.goodtimestove.com/)
Quote from: rick91351 on July 29, 2010, 12:39:35 AM
Your lucky Ol Jarhead my wife is looking at
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Cook_Stoves___Wood_Burning_Cook_Stoves___The_Waterford_Stanley_Wood_Cookstove___17120000?Args=
Well .... it will go in our house we build up a the ranch when we retire. That still a couple years out if it gets done at all. Right now I have plans at the engineer for about 1000 sq ft builders - guest home and thinking about a:
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Stoves___Cook_Stoves___Wood_Burning_Cook_Stoves___Baker_s_Oven_Wood_Heat_Cook_Stove___17120600?Args=
for it. Has anyone seen or been around one? We are on grid up there. However thinking it would be very handy to have a wood cook stove just in case. Also why not use the stove for cooking in the winter. After all we will have it fired up anyway.
For one of those....ya I've seen them, have them bookmarked in fact and would love one.
But my bro told me to hold off because when he was young his mom cooked with one and in the summer it was horrible! She couldn't wait for the electric stoves to come out.
Since we have Solar I can at least run a MW and hot plate if needed but I would like a small cook stove (wood) and a reflective oven to work with it if I needed it.
First test-firing today:
(https://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/davestreck/2326dddb.jpg)
I still have to chase a few small leaks with stove cement once it cools down, but I have to say I'm impressed with the way it works. Just burning small pine and cedar scraps got the oven up to 375 within 10 minutes or so:
(https://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k182/davestreck/3dcf4aa9.jpg)
This thing will definitely get my 12' x 16' cabin nice and toasty, even just burning softwood. I may bring up a few big boxes of hardwood scraps to keep at the cabin as well. The stove does not require a lot of wood to get up to temp. And it gets hot. Welding gloves are definitely a requirement.
One other thing I need to do is use valve grinding compound to get the burners to seat better on the cooktop. There is some smoke escaping from under them.
Once you have a flue attached the draft will put negetive pressure on the stove and stop most if not all leaks.
Would any of you be so kind as to post pictures of your stove installations, so I can get an idea what kind of buildup I am going to need on my hearth?
Thanks :)
Quote from: ScottA on July 29, 2010, 05:41:12 PM
Once you have a flue attached the draft will put negetive pressure on the stove and stop most if not all leaks.
So do you think the valve grinding thing is unnecessary? I realize that its not designed to be airtight, but the little wisps of smoke coming out from under the lids made me think they should seat better.
Also, the oven hit 450 after 20 minutes and held that throughout the whole rest of the burn. Gotta try some biscuits tomorrow...
Unfinished, but it works well. It has a fresh air inlet that goes through the floor.
(https://i223.photobucket.com/albums/dd127/MaineRhino/Mountain%20Camp/054-2.jpg)
(http://www.brightok.net/~cyscott1-ss/pics/930091.jpg)
Here's a pic of our little stove. Jotul 602, great little stove. $900 but worth it IMO.
davestreck, I'd try the stove with the flue attached before you try to fix any leaks. The draft will suck the smoke out of the stove and draw air into any loose joints.
Quote from: ScottA on July 29, 2010, 07:43:49 PM
davestreck, I'd try the stove with the flue attached before you try to fix any leaks. The draft will suck the smoke out of the stove and draw air into any loose joints.
Good deal, thanks.
Also, the stove is set up to use 4" pipe. Any recommendations for a supplier of double-walled stainless stovepipe (as well as thru-wall fittings, etc) in that size?
Thanks again for the advice.
You'll need to increase the size to 6". My stove has a 4" outlet also but uses a 6" flue.
I like the Osburn models out of Canada. I would disagree that you want the biggest stove! What you should strive for is the correct size for the job you intend to do. The worst case would be too big of a unit for the job. Modern woodstoves keep the glass clean burn extremely clean and if installed correctly with a long chimney never get smoke in the house! Good Luck!
davestreck, That stove cleaned up very well.
The little ship stoves are real classy and appear to be built like a mini-tank. One of the benefits of living by the coast.
Shawn
They're still available new, but $2200 is a bit steep:
(http://www.shipmatestove.com/images/products/Model211Detail.jpg)
There are a lot of advantages to working in a boatyard that deals with a lot of old classic wooden boats (although the pay isn't one of them): lots of free wood, access to great old surplus boat gear, and a bunch of co-workers who work for beer and know all about 12-volt electrical stuff and off-grid water systems. Boats are a lot like cabins in that way. I even scored an almost-new wind generator recently!
Is it acceptable to build my hearth directly on the hardwood floor where I want the stove to go?
I am planing on building a fairly substantial hearth of cinder block and brick.
Up the wall I am going to build a brick sheild with an inch of airspace behind it.
A soapstone will be placed under the stove on the hearth.
I am kind of worried about 2 things.
1) not building enough hearth to protect the wood floor from the heat
2) building up more hearth than the floor can support.
I was going to try and address the second problem by installing a floor support something like this under the stove...
(http://www.diychatroom.com/attachments/f19/20262d1273285573-basement-support-post-failure-post1.jpg)
(this is not my house, but a picture of the support bar taken from the internet)
Any suggestions?
Has anyone ever fabricated a heat sheld to be mounted to the bottom (or back) of the stove?
oblivionboyj , That's what I used under my 750lb gun safe. worked well for me.
Shawn
oblivionboyj: That looks like a pretty good idea....except I'd probably use something a bit beefier than a 2X4 turned on its side between the jack and the floor joists....as in the picture. In that picture, the only floor joist that is getting much support is the joist directly above the jack.
Just to be safe I added to pier blocks with 4x4 PT posts which supported a 4x4 beam between them which was adjusted (bolt type saddles) to just put pressure on the floor from underneath.
I did this because I used 2x6 floor joists (though it would be a cost saving measure -- probably won't do that in the future) and wanted to be sure the floor could take the weight of the stove/bricks etc.
I'm happy with it though.
Happy coincidence!!
I have the chance to buy a Fisher Grandpa Bear wood stove just like the one in our old log cabin....in fact it's the same stove....the lady who bought our old cabin wants to sell the stove! I'm "very" familiar with this stove.....my question is: Is $500 a good price for this stove? It'll easily heat 1000-1200 sq ft.....our old log cabin was 750 sq ft and the stove is really tooooo much for it.
PP
Edited to add: I just downloaded the manual for this stove...the manual claims the Grandpa Bear will heat a 1750-2250 sq ft home.
Quote from: Proud_Poppa on July 31, 2010, 09:32:12 AM
....except I'd probably use something a bit beefier than a 2X4 turned on its side between the jack and the floor joists....as in the picture. In that picture, the only floor joist that is getting much support is the joist directly above the jack.
Yeah, I saw that too.
I would probably use the 3x6 that was a header I just removed to replace a set of double doors in the basement.
I will start a topic for that job shortly.
Back to another question...
What is the guideline for building a hearth on top of the existing floorboards?
Quote from: oblivionboyj on August 01, 2010, 06:38:58 PM
What is the guideline for building a hearth on top of the existing floorboards?
That may be partially dependent on the stove make/model. The VC Aspen, for example needs to be fitted with the bottom heat shield. Without the heat shield it should only be installed over bare (unpainted) concrete poured over bare earth. With the heat shield attached to the bottom it can be installed over any non flammable material. Quarter inch thick cement fiber board as a first layer over the wood floor is recommended. Then a non combustible material may be installed over that. Sheet metal is fine as well; we used sheet copper.
The hearth size (width and length) is laid out by the NFPA in the USA. Canada's figures may be slightly different.
Dont think anyone's mentioned this, but how about a sailboat stove? can easily head a small 300+/- cabin and can brew a cup of tea (or more).
Quote from: DirtyLittleSecret on August 03, 2010, 04:37:46 PM
Dont think anyone's mentioned this, but how about a sailboat stove? can easily head a small 300+/- cabin and can brew a cup of tea (or more).
Yeah, it was mentioned.
There was some posts in the last 2 pages with a Shipmate.
Found one on eBay, for local pickup.
It is tempting, but since I have a free one from the bro it doesn't seem smart to spend the money when I could spend it elsewhere.
http://www.amazon.com/Boxwood-Cast-Iron-Wood-Stove/dp/B002OMGYHA/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2WV1364FAFI5S&colid=1BOS6JGYXO0OE
Did anyone post these?
Anyone used one?
I can't help thinking it's about as cheap as you can go and if it works would make a great 'shed' stove -- as in a stove you stick in the shed, forget about and have available if you should suddenly find yourself out in the cold and in need of a stove ;)
Yeah, that is one of the stoves I listed in the opening post. Their from Northern Tool.
That Shipmate is really attractive. I have a Sardine from Navigator Stove Works. Eventually it will heat the office.
Quote from: considerations on August 05, 2010, 10:59:27 PM
That Shipmate is really attractive. I have a Sardine from Navigator Stove Works. Eventually it will heat the office.
Those things are amazing...so small! Perfect for small 10x12 cabins I'm thinking.
Only thing I saw that was kinda strange was the claim that 15 x volume is a rule of thumb to get BTU's for the stove required....
For my place I'd need something on the order or a 75,000+ BTU stove which sounds really odd since the VC Aspen is 18,000 BTU's and rated for cabins up to 600 square feet....
But that's really not important ;) I just love the stoves and would love having one like the Little Cod!
The species of wood and the moisture content will greatly effect the BTU rating. It might make more sense to rate wood stoves in another fashion ??? Maybe capacity of the firebox :-\
Shawn
I too would love to have one of those small maritime stoves. Might be perfect for a porch stove :) :)
OK I broke down today and picked up a Montgomery Ward wood cook stove for $225 at a year sale. It appears to have never been used (and the own claims it was never used) and while it has some rust in spots and some chipped porcelain I'd say for $225 it had to be a steal.
Of course I have no idea but I just couldn't resist!
It's a 4 burner stove with what appears to be a water resevoir on the side (he also thought that is what it is) but no tap on the tank. Has an oven, firebox and shelf etc...not a fancy 1800's stove but something that should work as a cookstove...
But I can't find a single thing about this stove on the net!?
Montgomery Ward
No. AS-15-69B
Ser No. 2412
That's all I can find on it so far...pics to follow.
(https://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af102/emcvay/IMG_0001-1.jpg)
Montgomery Ward wood cook stove I bought for $225
(https://i998.photobucket.com/albums/af102/emcvay/IMG_0004-1.jpg)
Firebox -- everywhere I look there are no signs of usage -- just signs of old age -- as if this stove was tucked away in a garage for 60 years and forgotten...and bumped now and then.
Now if I could learn something about this stove (like age and specs) that would be nice :)
Is there any possibility that your "water tank" is actually a wood box (the unburned wood)?
Looks nice and functional. Won't keep a fire all night I think.
Nice find Erik :)
Are there any smaller stoves that will burn all night? We get tired of getting up at 2:30 - 3:00am to add more wood ;). It's also awesome to not have to spend $500.00 in home heating fuel every winter which is why we do it!
We have a book, I think it's called, "Living homes"? They show you how to build what they call a Russian furnace which is a fireplace and chimney in which the bricks are placed in a certain pattern that retains the heat for a long time.
We're seriously considering that.
Quote from: considerations on August 09, 2010, 01:20:33 PM
Is there any possibility that your "water tank" is actually a wood box (the unburned wood)?
Looks nice and functional. Won't keep a fire all night I think.
It's a water tank :) I've been talking to folks that use them.
Won't use it for warming the cabin, that's what the Vermont Aspen is for :)
Quote from: Arlynn on August 09, 2010, 02:14:49 PM
Are there any smaller stoves that will burn all night? We get tired of getting up at 2:30 - 3:00am to add more wood ;). It's also awesome to not have to spend $500.00 in home heating fuel every winter which is why we do it!
We have a book, I think it's called, "Living homes"? They show you how to build what they call a Russian furnace which is a fireplace and chimney in which the bricks are placed in a certain pattern that retains the heat for a long time.
We're seriously considering that.
Not sure about smaller stoves but many of the newer stoves claim to run 9-12 hours or more if dampened down for the night.
When I lived in a small cabin many years ago and used only wood heat (that's all I had) I stoked it at 10PM before going to bed and had to get up at 3am every night to add a log and stoke it up again. Never got it to burn more then 5 or 6 hours with the fuel I had. But I got used to doing that in the winter...it was either that or freeze
In my prior house in Oregon I had a Quadrafire, the smallest they made at the time. It burned warm all night. So that's one more possibility to explore.
The Navigator Sardine IS very small, like less than 1 cubic foot. I think the only practical thing to burn in it will be coal, or charcoal, or briquettes. The wood would have to be pretty tiny so likely wouldn't last long.
Quote from: considerations on August 09, 2010, 09:52:54 PM
In my prior house in Oregon I had a Quadrafire, the smallest they made at the time. It burned warm all night. So that's one more possibility to explore.
The Navigator Sardine IS very small, like less than 1 cubic foot. I think the only practical thing to burn in it will be coal, or charcoal, or briquettes. The wood would have to be pretty tiny so likely wouldn't last long.
I almost bought a quadrafire but went with a smaller stove because my experience has taught me that a 100,000BTU stove isn't really needed for a small cabin -- but some nights it sure was nice!
I think good insulation and windows along with good curtains and a porch can go a long way to reduce the need for a high output stove.
One note: Our cabin stays cool until well into the afternoon without insulation in the summer -- I think that it's because of the location -- lots of shade in the early part of the day. This may be something to think about (solar heat and environmental cooling).
On the smaller side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pFlfU82mt4&feature=share
I've been very happy with my Englander 17-VL stove. Not the ridiculous price of many others but still a quality unit made in the US. The company has a great reputation and loyal following. Something to look into anyway.
Alan